Scissors are one of the most important pieces of equipment for people who like to sew. A good pair of scissors is an investment. Buy the best ones that you can afford. Ginghers are the best quality and they come in several price ranges. Fiskars make a pair of scissors with a padded handle. This is great for people with arthritis. I also find that they help lefties cut straighter.
Take good care of your scissors and they will last a lifetime. Rule number one in care of your scissors is Never, never use your fabric scissors on paper. This will dull the blade quickly. Keep a pair of inexpensive scissors around for cutting paper. Wipe the fabric lint off of your scissors before you put them away and keep them in a sheath if you have one. Periodically, wipe the blades off with a small amount of alcohol and put a tiny drop of fine sewing machine oil in the joint if necessary.
Good quality scissors come with instructions on how to sharpen them with a sharpening stone. You can easily do this yourself. Only one side of the blade of Gingher scissors is sharpened so they must not be put into a sharpening machine. This will ruin their edge. A sharp edge on you scissors will give you a clean cut on your fabric, which gives you a clean edge to guide with when you are stitching. All of this leads to beautiful sewing.
For information on sewing classes in the Nashville area, contact Marguerite's Sewing School at Sew Cool or (615) 269-0453.
If you are making a banner that has a lot of small letters on it, use a dressmaker's tape measure to space those letters properly. While the banner is flat, just pin the tape measure across the banner. Make sure that it is straight so you won't have letters going up or down hill.
I am often asked this question: "What size should I make my banner?" There is no formal rule of how large or small a banner should be. You have to determine what will work for your auditorium. The best way I know of to design a banner is to put your ideas on paper. You can get very large rolls of paper at school supply stores.
You can draw out the design and have someone hold it up in the auditorium. This will give you an idea of what will look right for you. Once you have the design on paper, you can measure your design and determine how much fabric and trim to buy.Back to Top
Want to add some contrast and interest to your banners? Why not try outlining them with metallic twist rope braid pictured on the PraiseBanner® website under "Accessories, Trim".
Braid is easily attached to the banner with fabric glue. Allow at least twelve hours to dry. To prevent ends from unraveling during the construction process, tape them with masking tape.
Have you ever wondered why we are so proud of MiracleBondTM? This product was created after years of research. We recently conducted a study against several leading brands of bonding materials. Below are some of our findings:
| Product | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Wonder UnderTM | Instructions say it will bond fabric to wood or cardboard. Satisfaction Guaranteed 100%. Backing peels easily. Okay bond with bengaline. Good bond with satin and velvet. | A damp cloth must be used. Firm pressure is needed to make it stick (this is bad if you are using velvet). Does not rebond well after being peeled up. Does not come in very wide widths. |
| Stitch WitcheryTM | Clear instructions. Gives both temporary and permanent bond. Easily removable from fabrics and iron. Good bond with satin. Okay bond with bengaline. Available in tape form. | No backing, making it hard to cut shapes. Once fabric is peeled up, you cannot rebond it. No bond with velvet. Does not come in very wide widths. |
| Heat N'BondTM | Available in tape form. Good bond with bengaline and satin. Clear instructions. | If iron is too hot, it will not bond. Instructions must be followed to the letter. Does not come in very wide widths. |
| MiracleBondTM | If you are not happy with your first placement of the MiracleBondTM, you can easily peel it up and reposition it. You do not have to apply pressure, just let the heat of your iron do the work. It bonds with fussy stuff like velvet and brocades. Works well with bengaline and satin too! Now comes pre-bonded with satin and other fabrics. It comes in widths of 55 inches - which is perfect for large banner designs. Also comes in tape form for use with hems and smaller applications. | We just can't make enough of it. As soon as we get some in it flies off the shelves! |
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